Kristy,

It's computer trickery :-) The little shrub with the pink flowers is a Weigelia (sp)

Mick, we have the ruby throated hummingbirds, migrate thru Rockport Texas every year in the fall. They are just beautiful. We put out 20 plus feeders, you can feel your blood pressure drop just watching them. Barbra,

Oh those hummingbirds are so pretty! I get to see the Ana hummingbirds around here most of the year. I have a large lavender plant in the front yard that I have been wanting to pull out, but they visit that plant often so haven't.

My Niece is going gaga over them hummers. She wont let me leave this post...LOL

Mick,

Your garden photos are spectacular. Great job and even more so impressive with this being your first year.

I know there are years my gardens look better than others and when I try to replicate the years it worked...well ummm mother nature does not seem to cooperate. ha ha.

Thanks for sharing all your photos.

~Tj~

Thanks for the kind words TJ! 2009 is going to be my 2nd yr gardening and am now racking my brain to see what can be moved and what can be added

Decision Decision Decision. LOL

Thanks Mick I'll have to look it up and see if it will grow here. We have very hot summers. You are doing an awesome job with your garden by the way. I can't believe it was your first. You have a natural talent and this year will be even better I bet.

Thanks Kristy..I hope so too :-)

Mick considering your zone, did you dig out all those tropicals?

Barb that is funny. Hope you got to check out other posts and told her she can come BACK like I do a lot just to see if we are getting more MIck pictures.

Lucy

I dug out some and left the rest, just to see what happens come spring. It's all about trial and error really

Barb, your niece would love it here, there is a humming bird fest every fall not too far from here. (It is in Strawberry Plains Miss) I took my girls there and they let my youngest hold one then release it, it was the neatest thing. They tag and track them from there, all very interesting. Can't wait to start tracking the hummer migration.

Mary

Mick, everything is so pretty....really nice. I love the
pots and all of the foliage by the walkway, the raised beds
with those tomatoes, etc. Such nice color cominations.
I'm really messed up now ...LOL. I love it, love it, LOVE IT!!! Don't change a thing. :) Thanks for sharing that.
Margaret

Margaret,

Thank you for the kind words! That is what we are all here for, to inspire each other and share ideas.

I learnt from here and that is what helped me last year, my first time gardening.

Cheers

Mick

Hi Mick, very nice garden, I can't say anything that hasn't already been said. The problem is you took everyones breath away w/ the pics and no one answered your question on how to move the coneflower. I think you will probably figure it out, I think you have a clue on how to garden. Great job and welcome to the world of addicted gardners.

Thank you Debi. You are right, it is addictive, but I'll rather be addicted to gardening than to drinking or smoking, none of which I do :-)

how true how true

Lucy

WOW!!!! What a spectacular Garden. I am a lover of large Plants but have difficulty placing them in my Garden. you have done a beautiful job with your combinations and placements.
I'ts hard to believe that this was your first year .I have been gardening for many years in Ontario zone 5b and still don't have a Garden that looks as good as yours.If you care to share your secrets, I for one will be happy to take note.
Love your user name,I am a Glaswegian myself.

Thistle...I swear it was my first time gardening like that last year. I knew what I wanted, but didn't know how they will turn out, so I just planted as I went.

There is no secret,I just read stuff here, looks at pictures, research and trial and error

Mick, perhaps one of the secrets of your successful garden is that you prepared your soil prior to your plantings. Continue what you are doing!

Eloise....that could be it, or perhaps all the elbow grease I put in.

Mick

Oh come on Spring..darn it. LOL

Moo poo, man that's one big pile of. . . . .(grin)

Nice job man! Gorgeous.

I can't wait for spring. I'm gonna rent the biggest tiller I can lay my hands on. My 'mato plants are already out running those little seed starter things.

I need the warmth to get my brugs running. Man I'm tired of paper work and being inside.

I want to get DIRTY!

Hey technodweeb, how are you? I haven't seen you posting in quite awhile. Nice to see you here again.

~Tj~

TJ:

Yea, I've been kind of crushed. I've missed you guys.

I'm going to have to get rid of some stuff off my plate.

SPRING is coming. Gotta get ready to get DIRTY. (grin)

Glad to see everyone!

Let it begin

{{gwi:458682}}

{{gwi:458683}}

I see stuff pokig their heads out

{{gwi:458684}}

{{gwi:458686}}

My seed starting process

{{gwi:457665}}

{{gwi:457664}}

Your seed staring area looks wonderful. I see you already have some seedlings growing very nicely.

Great purchases. I need to get in gear and check out our local stores to see if they are getting anything exciting in.

~Tj~

Mick you are adding some great plants this year. Not long and that shelf will be loaded too.

I sure hope that one of the canna's that was send to me by my friends have red leaves. I just LOVE the contrast they give to all that green. I admit, I hardly go look up or forget lol, what I revieved. I feel the SUPRISE when they grow will be so much more exciting!

Lucy

Hoping to start my maters et al over the weekend

Buds on the climbing hydrangea

{{gwi:458688}}

{{gwi:458689}}

Mick

Mick you rock you know that...For a newbie them plants love ya...Now you need to add some beutiful brugs to your wonderful yard and your set...Happy gardening...Barb :)

Ah...thx Barb for the kind words :-) As you've seen in the other thread, I have a couple of brug cuttings going, hopefully they get bigger by the end of the summer.

If only you lovely folks on here would send me some cuttings or a plant, then I can create a little brug haven in the yard.

Come on folks, you know am good with my hands :-)

Mick

Mick how does a person send to Canada? I have no clue. Maybe you can teach us how...I am new to gardening too..Only a few knotches in my belt....

Seeds are easy, you just putthose in a puffy envelope and write gift on it. I just received some tomatoes, pumpkin and watermelon seeds from the US.

Cutting can be done the same way, provided it's packed proper.

Karmahappytoes can shed more light on how she got the B.Short here in the first place

Thank you for teaching me... Send me your addy through email..I have brug seeds I bought to share with you....:)

By the way you are so lucky to have B.Shorty.. I am so jealous....Karma working her majic too...:) Also big hearted... Barb

I used to be a warehouse manager for a company that shipped to Canada. As long as the box was small, we would send it via the mail. You do have to fill out a customs declaration, but as long as you label it a "gift" and valued under $100, it usually sailed through customs without a second glance.

That was a few years ago, thought, not sure if things have gotten tougher.

It's still the same Ryan. A user sent me a whole bunch of canna last year in a box from California and it got here just fine.

Mick

Weather was nice yesterday, 11 celsius. Managed to do a few yard work

Bought some new dinnerplate dahlias today

You are lucky you can grow them. Hope to see pictures when they bloom! I had bought Dahlia's last year. But they were just not in the right place and only did well once the fall weather took over. This year I will grow them in pots and do what I do with the brugs...haul them around until they find a place they are happy. If that does not work, I just have to find them a new home with another gardener.

Lucy

They just need sun to take off

{{gwi:458690}}

The dahlias are going in containers this year, so am going to be starting them indoors at the end of the month

I am doing the same thing. Container Dahlias this year!

Then if they do better...I will be able to get me a lot more. I just LOVE them!

Lucy

Of course, give little get lots :-) LOL

Thx for the bulbs Ryan...the package arrived today

Cheers

Mick

{{gwi:458691}}

{{gwi:458692}}
Just sharing what's in the temporary G/H today 26 Mar 09

Glad you got them ok. Last year there was just one big bulb, when I dug them up there was the three little ones, with no sign of mama.

Now do you plant yours in the ground or pots?

yeah sometimes those mama's dissapear :-(

Princealbert WOW both of your brugs have great colors. I LOVE the pure white WOW. Looks like that place is going to burst at the seams lol

Lucy

I almost took it (GH)down Monday. glad I didn't with this predicted cold.
I may cut off some of the white after taking the gh down, several limbs are really long. They are both noids from Michigan Bulb, and are planted in the ground.
If you want 1 or 2 I will put them in water to root.
It will be after Easter before I take the GH down and trim them.
princealbert